Golf club cart having retractable running gear



June 22, 1954 w. J. LOWINSKI GOLF CLUB CART HAVING RETRACTABLE RUNNING GEAR Filed May 6, 1953 INVENTOR.

Patented June 22, 1954 GOLF CLUB CART HAVING RETRACTABLE RUNNING GEAR Walter J. Lowinski, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Application May 6, 1953, Serial No. 353,399

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a golf club cart and has reference more particularly to such a cart comprising the combination of individual club receiving tubes mounted on a retractable running gear.

For many years it has been customary for golfers to keep their playing clubs in golf bags which they either carried with them on the golf course by means of a shoulder strap or which were carried for them by caddies. In recent years, however, a strong trend has developed in the direction of using carts on which conventional golf bags can be mounted and which the player pushes or pulls along with him.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a combined golf club carrier and running gear in a single unit; to design such a combined unit having individual holders for the respective clubs; to develop a running gear which retracts compactly against the body of the club containing unit; to provide such a running gear which, when retracted, draws the Wheels axially inwardly in snug relation against the body of the unit for maximum convenience in storing such as in clubhouse lockers; to devise a running gear which, when retracted, still permits rolling the cart and also enables the cart to stand erect; to provide a cooperating handle which may be folded down against the body of the cart in a manner to lock the running gear in retracted position; to develop a completely self-sufiicient unit for carrying golf clubs, golf balls and accessories which is simple in design, convenient to use, and economical to manufacture, these and other objects being achieved as hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a View from the side showing a golf club carrier embodying my invention in operating position;

Fig. 2 is a view from the rear showing the golf club carrier ofFig. 1 with the running gear retracted;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a bracket memberfor holding golf club receiving tubes;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the running gear axle partly in section, showing the telescopic construction thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4. F

cent the upper end ofthe body It] and a re 2 tractable running gear I2 adjacent the lower end thereof.

In a preferred form, the body I0 is, composed of a vertical frame member I3, an upper bracket I4 secured to the top of said frame member I3,

a lower bracket I5 secured to the opposite end thereof, and a plurality of relative elongated tubes I6 interposed between said brackets I5 and It in substantially parallel relation with respect to said vertical frame member I3.

The lower bracket I5 comprises a plate approximately one-half inch or more in thickness and having on one face thereof a plurality of circular recesses or seats I I of substantially the same inside diameter as the outside diameter of the tubes I6. The seats H are arranged in a double row of seven each so that there are fourteen seats I! in all, adapted to receive that number of tubes I6. At one side, the bracket I 5 is provided with a socket I8 adapted to receive one end of the vertical frame member I 3 and is secured thereto in any desired manner such as by means of a pin I9.

The upper bracket It corresponds to the lower bracket I5 in the number and arrangement of tube-receiving seats Ila. In the case of the lower bracket I5, however, each seat I! is provided with a small drainage and ventilation hole 2t, whereas in the upper bracket I4, each seat Ila is provided with an internal annular flange 2! of substantially the same width as the thickness of the walls of the tubes I6. The upper bracket I has a socket IBa which is secured to the vertical frame member I3 by means of a pin Ita so that the seats lie of the upper bracket id face the seats I! of the lower bracket I5. The tubes is are engaged at their respective ends in the seats il and Ila and are held securely against displacement thereby. The diameter of the flange 2i openings in the upper seats Ila is preferably about one and onequarter inches which is sufficient to permit convenient insertion of the handles of the golf clubs 22 therethrough into the individual tubes it so that the club heads protrude as shown in Fig. 1.

The socket portion Isa of the upper bracket I 4 is provided with a depending projection 23 having a vertically disposed face at substantially right angles to the bracket I 4, said face having a plurality of annularly arranged teeth. The handle II is provided at one end with a corresponding projection 24 having a face with similar annularly arranged teeth adapted to mate with those on the projection 23. The

respective projections 23 and 24 are joined in face-to-faoe relation by means of a bolt 25 inserted therethrough, the threaded end of said bolt 25 having a wing nut 26 engaged thereon by means of which the respective projections 23 and 24 can be clamped firmly together in any selected position either in the operative position shown in Fig. 1 or in the folded position shown in Fig. 2. The engagement of the teeth on the faces of the respective projections 23 and 2d prevents displacement of the handle II from the selected position when the wing nut 2t is tightened.

The upper bracket member 14 may be provided with lugs 2'! on the front side of the body ithat is, on the opposite side from the vertical frame member l3-from which a suitable utility bag 23 may be suspended as shown in Fig. 1. The utility bag 28 has interior compartments for balls, sweaters, and the like, to which access may be had through the slidefastener closures 29 as shown in Fig. l. The lower end of the utility bag 28 may be held in place by means of tie bands 39 which may be tied around the body H) as shown in Fig. 2.

The retractable running gear l2 consists of a pair of suitable rubber tired wheels 3i mounted on a telescoping axle 32. The telescoping axle 32 comprises an outer tubularmember 33 the length of which is substantially the same as the width of the main body portion Ill of the golf club carrier, an intermediate tubular member 34 of substantially the same length as the outer tubular member 33 and inserted at one end thereof in reciprocal telescopic relation therewith, and an inner rod or tubular member 35 inserted in the opposite end of said outer tubular member 33, the inner end of said inner member 35 being telescopically engaged within the inner end of the intermediate tubular member 3% as shown in Fig. i. The outer tubular member 33 is provided at the end through which the inner member 35 is engaged with a bushing 36 adapted to bear upon the inner member 35 so as to -p1'eserve the alignment thereof with the intermedi ate tubular member 3d. The telescoping axle 32 is connected to the frame member l3 by means of a leg 3? which is pivotally joined to said frame member is by means of a fitting 38 positioned about one-third of the length from the top of the frame member 53.

The intermediate and inner members 34 and 35, respectively, are provided near their respectiv outer ends with fittings 39 which are affixed thereto and adapted to move inwardly therewith. into abutting relation against the respective ends of the outer tubular member 33 and outwardly into extended relation as shown in Fig. 4.

The leg 3? has a ring it slidabl mounted thereon and provided with three pivot mountings M to which the connecting bars 52 and G3 are pivotally secured. The connecting bars 42 are pivotally secured at their other ends to the fittings 3t and the connecting bar 43 is secured at its other end to a fitting is afiixed to the frame member is at a point near the lower end thereof, preferably a distance about equal to the radius of the wheels 3i from the bottom of the frame member 13.

By virtue of this assembly and the linkages as described, the raising and lowering of the ring id on the leg 3? serves to simultaneouslyretract the running gear l2 and telescope the axle 32 or alternatively to extend said running gear 82 and project the respective intermediate and inner members 34 and 35 outwardly with respect to the outer tubular member 33.

The respective intermediate and inner members 34 and 35 are provided with axle extensions &5 on which the wheels 3| are mounted so that the extending and telescoping of the axle 32 will propel and repel the wheels 3! as the case may be. Preferably the wheels SI are ball bearing mounted to insure ease of operation. Also, for convenience the outer end of the handle 1 I may be provided with a grip portion 46 of rubber or other suitable material.

When the described golf club carrier is used, such as on a golf course, the running gear would be in the extended position shown in Fig. 1 and the handle ll would be raised to the position shown in the same figure. The mounting of the wheels 3i is such that when they are in extended position, the bottom of the body It and the wheels 3! provide a three-point support for the golf club carrier to hold it in upright position. The player may tilt the carrier into wheeling position by grasping the handle I! and tipping the body it to a greater angle so as'to raise the said body It off of the ground. When it is desired to collapse the running gear, the ring 4 is raised firmly to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the handle is'lowered to the position shown in the same figure. In the collapsed or retracted position the respective wheels 3E are drawn inwardly to the respective sides of the body ill and cooperate with the bottom of the body 10 to again provide three-point support for the golf club carrier in upright position.

The wing nut 26 may be loosened 'to permit lowering the handle ll to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the wing nut 25 may then be tightened to retain the handle H in that position, in which case the handle I! prevents the running gear if from beingaccidentally extended. Thus the golf club carrier embodying my invention may be folded into a compact and conveniently portable form.

My golf club carrier may be modified in various ways such as by changing the number or arrangement of the tubes l6, and it may be provided with various accessories, such as a suitable hood which can be slipped over the exposed club headsto protect them from rain, dust, and dirt.

Moreover, the features of my invention can be applied quite readily to other forms of carts either for carrying golf club bags or for other transporting purposes. Thus, while I have shown and described the golf club carrier of my invention in the preferred form, I am aware that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1 In a cart of the class described, the combination of a central body member and a retractable running gear mounted thereon, said running gear comprising a main leg hinged at one end thereof to said central body member, a telescopable axle secured in substantially perpendicular relation at the other end of said main leg, and means for concurrently retracting said main leg with respect to said central body member comprising a longitudinally slidable element on said main leg and connections to the opposed ends of said telescopable axle and to said central body member whereby, when the slidable element is moved away from said axle, the axle is telescoped and the main leg is drawn inwardly into relative alignment with said central body member.

2. In a cart of the class described, the combination of a main body member, a retractable supporting leg connected at one end thereof in pivoted relation to said main body member, and a handle similarly connected at one end thereof in pivoted relation to said main' body member, said supporting leg having a telescopable axle secured in substantially transverse relation thereto at the end thereof remote from said pivoted connection, and a longitudinally slidable element on said supporting leg and linking members interposed in pivoted relation between said slidable element and the respective ends of said telescopable axle and said main body member, respectively, and means for retaining said handle in a selected extended position with respect to said main body member and alternativelyin a retracted position, in which latter position said handle engages said supporting leg and serves to hold the latter against displacement from its retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

